A Titan Among Guardians
by Korten
Summary: Long before this story began, Marisa, a soldier, died. However everything is set into motion when this soldier is reborn in the Light of the Traveler, as Guardian, a Titan. Stepping out from the ruins of Old Russia- Marisa, Ghost, and other Guardians will travel the solar system, fighting the Darkness, which threatens all that remains after the Collapse.
1. Chapter 1

**Welcome to this Destiny FanFic- before we begin a couple of things should be made clear.**

**Changes and Additions will be made- Obviously Destiny had story issues and was short, so the story will have missions and such that never existed. **

**Canon will be… changed and may not follow what is right. Destiny is obviously not over, expansions will come out and if anything contradicts what I change or add, well we will cross that bridge when we get there. **

**Expect a lot of OC's, which shouldn't be surprising since Destiny hardly has a cast of characters and the characters that are there are hardly explored at all.**

**This first chapter will mostly be a re-creation of the intro mission of the game, however once we get to the tower you will see deviations. **

**Anyway- Enjoy!**

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><p>Long ago…<p>

A city skyline, the night sky open up to ships and the silent moon. A female sits on a bench donned in armor and a rifle on lap, in a green park. Their expression is glum, eyes glazed over and their body hunched over. "It… It happened again," the person spoke. They slammed their fist into the wooden bench, a dent being left in its wake. Her eyes dart up towards the sky, a ship passes in the sky obscuring the moon and casting a shadow over her.

"You're here, again," another voice spoke in the distance.

She stood up from the bench and looked towards the familiar voice. The person was a female in a flowing red dress, their hair pure white, eyes deep blue and their skin light pale. "Always you're here when these things happen to you," the person spoke.

The armored person held up their rifle and aimed towards the red-dressed female. "Your, no- you're not."

"Does it matter if I am?" the person spoke, cutting off her. Then red-dress female turned towards the city horizon. "Every time you get hurt you come back here sulking like clockwork."

"When will you grow up, Maria?" the red-dressed person spoke, Maria scowled at the words coming from the female but could say nothing.

Then the world began to fade away, Maria felt sharp pain course through her body and then she found herself on the ground. Again the sky was clear and it was night, the moon shining above. She coughed, blood spilling onto her helmet's visor and back to her own face. Her body wouldn't move, and tears trickled down her cheeks. "This is how it ends… Just like the rest," she spoke as her eyes began to give way.

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><p>Ghost moved over the landscape of Old Russia, a shadow of its former self. Though the machinery of the old times still littered the landscape, alongside the enemies whom brought its ruin. Here it was where Humanity took to the stars, and ultimately now is nothing more than a graveyard. Snow trickles down from the sky, lying on the ground. It would soon be night as the sun continued to set.<p>

The Ghost reached a group of eroded cars, all bunched together on a ruined road. Unbeknownst to the Ghost, it was being watched. Armed Fallen looking through its scope at the little Ghost, but the Fallen didn't fire, but just watched. However once it was satisfied, the Fallen stood up and gestured to its comrades who then ran past him towards the Ghost.

Near a car, the Ghost began to scan with its blue light. "Is it possible?" the Ghost murmured to itself. It broke apart as to process the data, to double- no- triple check to make sure that it's correct. "There you are."

Forming together, the Ghost suddenly let out a burst of light. A being, a Human Female, to be exact, suddenly formed in front of the Ghost after being given life once more. Everything was dark, however a soft light began to awaken the Human. "Guardian… Guardian? Eyes up Guardian!" the Ghost called out.

The Human slowly got up from the ground, hardly able to stand and grabbed onto the rusted car nearby. "It worked… You're alive!"

She looked towards the small floating machine. "I'm… I don't u-understand. How am I alive?"

It ignored her question. "You don't know how long I've been looking for you."

"Aren't you..?"

"I'm a Ghost. Actually, now I'm your Ghost. And you… Well, you've been dead a long time. So you're going to see a lot of things you won't understand," he told her. She looked at her hands, her armor was still on and looked as though new. As if she hadn't died.

Her eyes were drawn to the landscape and towards the large wall nearby. Then she turned her focus back towards the Ghost. "I think you could explain some things on the way."

"I will do my best," he said but then was cut off by the sound of a deep growl. "This is Fallen territory. We aren't safe here- I have to get you to the City."

Ghost flew away and then turned back towards her. "Hold still." The machine suddenly vanished into blue particles and into the Human, she shuddered. Then the being talked again, but this time it was coming through her helmet. "Don't worry, I'm still with you. We need to move, fast."

"The name's Maria, thanks for asking," she replied as she began to move as fast a person who had just been revived could.

Maria moved past the field of rusted cars and towards the wall. "What are the Fallen?"

"Ruthless scavengers, they arrived in the wake of the Collapse, they pillaged our worlds," the Ghost explained to her as they got close to the entrance of the wall. "Now inside, if we stay in the open like this, we won't survive long."

They entered the wall and there was little light. Everything was falling apart, the walls looking as though they could come down at any minute, this made the Guardian uneasy but still pushed on. Another growl from the fallen could be heard.

"I need a weapon," Maria informed the Ghost.

"You shall have one, Guardian, remember there's two in here now," he said.

Maria stepped onto a cat walk, each step shaking the barely stable platform. The only light in the corridor was coming from the dawn outside. As she got closer to the other end of the cat walk, where shadows enveloped her, the sound of movement could be heard. "Quiet. They're right above us," the Ghost warned.

As they got closer to the darkness, Ghost, turned on its light and enveloped the Guardian. Reaching the end of the cat walk she spotted stairs and a gap in the wall above. One step on the stairs and she was drawn to a figure that moved quickly through the dark on a pipe in the gap. Maria reached the top of the stairs and walked past a red light into a spacious room.

Ghost exited from her armor the same way it entered and began to float in the air. Maria grabbed onto the railing and looked out into the endless darkness the glow from the Ghost being the only light in the dark. "Hang tight. Fallen thrive in the dark, we won't. We need more light. I'll see what I can do."

The Guardian just stood there. "Not like there's much I can do."

Ghost continued to float away, its light illuminating a nearby red pipe, and that's when she got her first glimpse at a Fallen. "In the company of Devils," the Ghost murmured to her. "Anyway it's another one of these hardened military systems… And a few centuries of entropy working against me."

It vanished behind metal pipes and Maria could no longer see anything, only hear the low growls of Fallen scurrying around in the dark. Maria still felt strange, one moment she was dead and then next she was walking and talking.

The low rumbling of machinery preceded the lights turning on and revealing what lurked in the shadows. Fallen, dozens of them in all different shapes, some with two arms and some with four. Then following them floating red machines starting coming towards her. However they didn't fire and instead moved away as if trying to follow the other Fallen which were running to the right.

The Ghost reappeared and directed her towards the gate nearby and spoke to her. "Hey! I found a rifle! Grab it."

Maria walked towards a container with an old-looking rifle leaning against it. The Ghost vanished into her armor once again. Picking up the rifle and checking it she realized that she had held this gun before. The Khvostov 7G-02, instantly she was familiar with it, it's range, impact, and fire rate. First thing she's seen thus far that has been familiar. "This. This is what I'm talking about."

"I'll take that as you knowing how to use that thing," the Ghost replied as she looked down the cracked red dot sight. Despite the age, the rifle's ammo still showed up on her helmet's HUD, she had quite the ammo to use.

"Its old- rusted, and in some places broken," she said as she checked the ammo inside it and lying about. "But it will work. At least for now."

Maria ran down the hall and hugged the corner and looked down the hall with her rifle and mentally said to herself. _Clear_. She walked down the hall cautiously and stopped as the shadow of a fallen was casted on the far wall. "Eyes forward. Watch your tracker," Ghost told her.

She rolled her eyes. "I know, this isn't the first time I've been in combat."

Going down the rusted hall, and stepping in puddles of water, there was still no contact with the enemy. Again she repeated what she did before, hugged the corner and looked out for enemies. She knew her armor had shielding, but running out in the open still wasn't wise. The hall next had roots from a tree above consuming the walls and hanging from the ceiling. A single light from the sun rayed down through a gap.

One step was all it took. Two fallen jumped out, one from the ceiling and the other from behind a pipe. Strangely her HUD identified the two enemies, the smaller two-armed one as a Dreg, and the other four-armed beast as a Vandal. She didn't let them fire, her combat prowess kicked in and she fired at the two. Her bullets managed to hit their heads and just like it would to a Human, it pierced through their helmet and then skull.

The two of them fell to the ground and she walked towards their bodies and gave a gentle kick. They were alien, had to make sure shooting them in the head would work. "How did my helmet know their names?" she inquired.

"I'm in your armor, I have added useful information," the Ghost answered.

"Well that's useful." Marisa crouched. "Ugly fuckers, aren't they?" she said to the corpses, though the Ghost didn't bother to reply.

Moving on, she made her way down the corridor and into another, doing the same routine and seeing nothing. Though she made sure that if she needed to, that she could fire on any enemy if they jumped out. Turning the corner she was about to enter another room when a Dreg jumped down from above and in close quarters.

She reacted as according to her training, pulled her arm back and thrust her first forward and made contact with the Dreg's face. However she noticed it lacked the 'oomph' she was used to. No shockwave, just a simple punch. Though it did its job and still managed to knock the Dreg off it' feet and dead on the ground.

Into another corridor and Fallen jumped out in the room ahead and began to fire their blue bolts of bullets towards her. Shifting from cover to cover, the Guardian aimed at them and dispatched them with ease. Not exactly the menace she was expecting them to be. A Vandal still left alive fired at her, their bullets taking the shape of blue orbs that hovered towards her, as she moved one hit the ground nearby and left a searing mark.

"Mental note, blue orbs are bad," Marisa said. She moved behind a crate and the Vandal hid behind its cover. However the Guardian ran forward, leaping over a railing and punched the Vandal and knocked them over a ledge.

Marisa exited the room and onto a cat walk that she had spotted Fallen earlier crossing. "There's more ahead! Keep it up!" Ghost cheered her on. She ran across it and spotted a sort of strange chest with green lights upon it. "A loot cache. Let's see what's inside."

Putting her hand out in front of its center, the chest unlocked and hissed open revealing bright blue cubes. "That is-," the Ghost began to explain.

"Glimmer," she said finishing Ghosts sentence, Maria grabbed a cube of Glimmer and examined it. "It's something I remember. Though why is it in a chest?"

On instinct, she held out her hand and the blue cube began to vanish into dust and into her armor. Anytime Glimmer was found in the field they were told to collect it and eventually bring it back. As it could be used to power machinery and a natural resource to boot. However she was surprised when the Ghost told her its other use.

"Glimmer now can be used to upgrade weaponry, it is also use as a currency for trade," Ghost told her.

"Trade? Interesting, wouldn't have expected that, but as you said I've apparently been dead for a long time…" she said solemnly. Her attention was stolen as she realized there was still something in the chest, she reached into the chest and pulled out what appeared to be a shotgun.

"That gun is the Preacher Mk. 20," the Ghost said. "It appears to be in good shape."

Marisa smirked under her helmet. "Let's give it a go, shall we?"

The Guardian moved down steps and stopped as she turned around the corner. Red lasers could be seen across the hall from little devices. "Tripmines! Don't touch them," the Ghost informed her. She silently nodded and crouched under the wires and stood up as she reached the other side. Another Fallen appeared, out of range of the shotgun she pulled back out her assault rifle and fired at the Fallen and killed it.

She moved forward when suddenly a panel on the ground flew off and a Dreg jumped out. Marisa grabbed her shotgun and fired it, the blast knocked the Fallen off its feet and a few meters away. Another Fallen appeared behind the tripmines and rushed towards her, ducking its head and just missing the red lasers by an inch. Out with the Assault rifle she moved out of the way of the Dreg's shots and fired right back hitting them in the head.

Marisa opted to go around the tripmines and went down a path that was empty of any. As she reached the end another Dreg appeared, she killed it. However she suddenly saw a red light and a blast. She raised an eyebrow and moved forward, and spotted a charred corpse of a Dreg, they had run into their own tripmine. "So I guess I can write off Intelligence," she jokingly said.

At the end of a corridor she appeared in a large room with pillars, a pipe hole at the end, and a large red ripped flag above. "Considering their past behavior, it's safe to assume they're going to pop out somewhere in here," she guessed.

"Logical," Ghost replied back.

With the Shotgun in hand she moved into the room and as she expected, Fallen rushed into the room. Bullets and energy flew through the air, turning past a crate, she was face to face with a Vandal. Firing her shotgun, blood flew out from the Vandal and even marked her armor. Dreg fired and managed to snag her armor, the shielding took most of the hit but she still felt it. Taking her Auto rifle out, she killed the Dreg and then rushed up to another and punched it in the skull.

Another Vandal appeared and got some good hits on Marisa, however she managed to get behind some debris and let her shield regenerate. "Remember there's two in here now," the Ghost said with its calm voice despite the situation. Then again there wasn't much need to worry, Marisa was more than enough for the Fallen that now engage her. With her Shotgun she rushed, dodging the shots from the Vandal she got up and close and fired her Shotgun. So close, that even she felt the shockwave from the impact.

A silence set in as the last Fallen fell, Marisa gave herself a moment to collect herself. "The Fallen have a tighter hold on this place than I thought. Just a bit further. Let's hope there's something left out there…" the Ghost spoke.

It didn't take Marisa long to find the way out, she entered a circular corridor with large turbine fans on each end and one broken one with a gap in the center. The one at the end was still functioning and light could be seen on the other side of it. With each step the water on the ground splashed and little drips of water hit her helmet. Near the working fan was another way out, and soon enough she was outside once again.

"I remember this place, this is was the Russian Cosmodrome," Marisa said. "There was a- battle that raged here, it's where I…"

"Died," the Ghost finished her sentence.

She looked out with solemn eyes, towards the large tower with space shuttles hanging off its side. In the night sky, stars could be seen, a large green aurora's blanketed the skies. Despite the destruction, there was something beautiful about it. "Yeah, where I died."

"There's got to be something we can fly out of here," it said to get her back on point.

Suddenly in the distance a flare shot up into the sky. A ripple in the sky soon followed. "Incoming!" The Ghost said. A ship appeared, and a shockwave so strong appeared that a tower near it fell to the ground. Marisa ran forward towards a gap between two buildings, and then saw it, a strange dark colored alien ship.

"Fallen ships! This close to the surface!?" The Ghost said in surprised. "We need to move!"

The ship stopped and its hatches on the side opened up and Fallen began to pour out. Another ship shortly after appeared and did the same. Now there were enemies in the yard below. With no other option, the Guardian began to engage. With her Auto rifle she began to strafe fire the Fallen, killing Dreg, but missing the swift Vandals. The four armed Vandals fired their guns at Marisa and she jumped down to the yard below and the energy blasts whizzed over her.

After reloading she moved around a container and fired at a Vandal, it didn't die immediately and still got some shots off and hitting Marisa. Another Vandal got up close and managed to swipe at her, and send her onto the ground. On the ground, she pulled out her Shotgun and as the Vandal jumped into the air with blades in hands, she fired her gun sending it flying the other way. Getting up and letting her shields recharge she looked to her left and right.

"Which way?"

"Left!" the Ghost said and she began to head towards an entrance near two large red pipes. More Dreg were located near the entrance but they were easy to kill. However as she got close to a ruined truck, the red machines she had spotted earlier flew towards her and fired. Running backwards she fired at them and despite the old age of the gun it tore through the machines armor and they exploded, and even took down the Dreg near them.

Suddenly as they all died, Marisa was engulfed in light and felt strange. "What?" A new icon on her helmet's HUD appeared, and a symbol she recognized, a grenade.

"When I brought you back, you were reborn with the light of the Traveler, this is just one of many abilities," the Ghost said. "A grenade, a special kind, one that will regenerate after usage. Better than any normal version."

She held out her hand and just thinking about it, the grenade appeared in hand and just as easily vanished with another thought. "Incredible," she said. Though they weren't in the right place to admire it, and moved on into the building. Eventually she reached a room with strange nets hanging with something inside of them and Dreg inside. But they hadn't noticed her yet and she decided this was time to test it out.

Bringing the grenade back out her threw it into the room in the center of the three Dreg. It exploded, letting out a blinding light and a sort of electrical field, leaving all the Dreg on the ground dead. The noise could be heard by other Fallen and as she passed the room a Vandal and Two Dreg appeared, with the grenade still regenerating she opted to just fire at them with her rifle, getting the same result. After killing them she moved through the passage they came from and as she entered another spacious room it was then that she spotted it.

A rusted ship, looking as though it was barely holding together. Being held in the air by wires as old as the ship. Fallen were on the ship and looking to take it apart, but Marisa wasn't going to let that happen. A Fallen, one that looked like a more armored and bigger Vandal jumped down from the ship with the others and began to fire at her. She replied in kind, and after some hits on the strange Vandal, it suddenly teleported to the side dodging any more hits.

Though despite its more menacing exterior, it didn't take any more bullets to put down the strange Vandal as its shields fell and the bullets went through its flesh. Moving further into the room more Fallen appeared and some of the red machines, known as Shank's. With her grenade regenerated, she threw it at the new comers and it took some with it and then just shot the rest. With the room clear, the Guardian brought her focus to the ship.

The Ghost exited her armor and flew up to the ship. With its glowing eye, the little machine began to scan the ship. "It's been here awhile. Hasn't made a jump in centuries. We're lucky the Fallen haven't completely picked it clean."

"All I need to know, is will it fly?"

"I can make it work, just a moment," it said as it vanished into the ship. Humming from the ship could be heard as the inner workings began to turn back on, dust flying off as it's inside's moved once more. Lights signaling its life turned on. Its engines roared as the ship began to move from its spot. The wires detached from the ship as it began to stay in the air on its own. Dust and water beneath it began to be kicked up into the air from the engines.

"This isn't going to break orbit, but it just might get us to the City," the Ghost said it's voice coming from the ship. "Now- about that transmat…"

Marisa turned as she could hear the voice of Fallen getting closer. A very large Fallen with a large gun exited from the pipe tunnel in the wall, alongside two Vandals. "Need to get out, now!"

"Bringing you in!" the Ghost said as Marisa was suddenly dematerialized into the same blue particles as the ghost and teleported into the ship. Then the ship began to fly upwards, through the hole in the ceiling, the Vandal's fired but the large one did not. Their shots did nothing to the ship and the ship was already leaving their firing range.

"We can come back for them when you're ready. For now let's get you home," the Ghost said. Marisa slouched in her chair, the ship was small, enough size for two people at most. Its machines are rusted and most of the screens on the computers don't work. However for the first time since she was resurrected she felt- safe.

Unaware to both the Ghost and the Guardian, a mysterious being in a tattered cloak watched them as the ship flew away from the Old Cosmodrome.

"Good job Guardian," the Ghost said as Marisa just sat there. The ship was being controlled by the Ghost and therefore nothing for her to do. "This ship is fast, but it will still be a bit before we arrive at our destination."

"I think if you don't mind," Marisa began with her eyes already starting to close. "I'll take a nap now."

The Ghost looked at her. "Guess being dead for centuries doesn't count as napping."

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><p>"You're back," the woman in red said as she sat at the river bed, with her feet in the water. The lights of the city skyline reflected on the water. However the night sky was completely black, as if looking into a dark void. "That's good, I guess."<p>

She laid back on the grassy ground. "A second chance- but will you use it?"

"Or will you squander it? Just like you did with them?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello! Sorry for the wait, this chapter has been done for a couple of days and sadly, my friend has been to busy with Shadow of Mordor to give me any feedback, so I decided to just out and post it now. :) If any gramatical errors, please report them- I'm still improving. Can't be mad at him... I really want to get SoW as well, it looks sooooo good!**

**Anyway enjoy this non-combat chapter.**

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><p>The ship crossed through snowy mountains and then struck into a sea of clouds. Through the roaring of storms, the ship passed through dark and thick clouds. Inside the ship Marisa was sitting and watching the world as it passed by her. By this time she had taken off her helmet revealing what she looked like, straight red hair that went down to her neck, blue eyes, and red markings across her face. Ghost had informed her that they would be arriving at the City soon enough. "Guess I'm going to see this- Last bastion of Earth," Marisa said as she looked out the ship.<p>

Soon enough the ship exited from the clouds and the morning twilight sun looked down upon the planet in a blanket of orange. Her gaze turned towards the Traveler, it had been in a different place when she had been previously alive, but it looked the same as before. Though in her gut she felt as though something had changed about it as though was- fading.

They got close to the Tower, the tallest building in the city. Ghost also told her that, Guardians and others do their business and inside the tower is where the Guardian would call home. It directed the ship towards the dock and then slowed. In an instant Marisa was teleported out of the ship and onto the ground below. The ship flew off but Ghost appeared alongside her.

Marisa turned and looked towards the Traveler, but also towards the lights of the city below. Ghost flew ahead of here and then spoke. "Welcome to the last safe City on Earth – the only place the Traveler can still protect. Taking centuries to build, but now we count every day it stands."

Ghost moved past her and she turned with it. Looking at other armored individuals walking about. The insignia of the Guardians, a shield with the three types on it, stands upon tall red banners. Terminals and shops could be seen and despite the almost ruined city below, the Tower looked new. However Marisa still was flabbergasted. "This is- all that remains?" she said.

"All that remains," Ghost repeated. "Now, we must head to the Speaker, he will no doubt wish to speak to you."

The Ghost directed her to her left and entered a dark lit hall, and then into Tower North. Compared to the other part of the Tower, the North portion felt in a way more secluded, less people and far more plants hanging around. Puddles of water on broken parts of the tile, couches sitting around a fire with people reading and others huddling together with hushed speaking and not many armored, mostly civilians.

She continued to follow the Ghost and they crossed a bridge into a tower. In the center of the tower, a device circling around a blue holographic globe and a railing blocking anyone from getting to it. On the ground, short pillars with spheres that look like the solar system could be seen. The Ghost led her on, they went upstairs and entered a small corner library with wooden flooring. The books went high against the wall, and her attention was drawn across- seeing all of the papers and books lying out until she looked towards the man in a white robe, a dark hood, and a mask working at his desk.

For a second the Speaker didn't realize they were there and continued to work. It wasn't until the Ghost flew close to the Speaker to observe its work that the Speaker turned from his desk. "Oh, I'm sorry- I've been getting absorbed into my work," the Speaker apologized. "I assume you must be the newest Guardian?"

"That is correct, Speaker," the Ghost said.

Marisa walked a little closer. "Ghost here, said I should come to you first."

"And he was right," the Speaker said as he turned and looked out towards the Traveler in the distance. "You must have questions- about your role, what is going on, many."

"I remember- not everything, but I do remember some of my past," Marisa informed him.

This raised the curiosity of the Speaker and he faced Marisa. "Truly? Most Guardians who have been resurrected from long death cannot remember anything- most not even their name. Those individuals have to make one up. I see you have found a special one, Ghost."

"I have," Ghost said affirmatively.

"Tell me, Guardian- what can you remember?"

Marisa delved deep into her mind. "My name- it's Marisa, no last name I'm afraid. I remember a city, its skyline lighting up the night sky and a riverbank near the city. I also remember Russia specifically Kazakhstan, I had fought at the Cosmodrome. That's where I died. Strangely one thing that's so clear in my mind is a person- but their name alludes me."

"A person? Do you remember what they looked like?"

She rubbed her forehead. "Female, long white hair, blue eyes, very pale light skin, and a flowing red dress. What this person means to me… I couldn't tell you."

Marisa. "That's it, I don't know if I'll remember more or not."

The Speaker put his hand on the chin of his mask. "You remember more than most Guardians do in their entire lives. Most Guardians from the great collapse only remember fragments, and even those are hazy at best."

Ghost looked at Marisa. "Some Guardians have even been driven mad by these fragments."

"Lovely…" Marisa said.

The Speaker pressed a button and the machine in the center of the tower began to fold away and the holographic sphere fell down to the bottom. Giving a clear view of the Traveler. Then the Speaker went down the stairs and Marisa followed. At the bottom the Speaker walked towards the railing and looked out towards the traveler.

"It must be clear from your memory fragments that there was once a time when we were much more powerful… That was long ago and until it wakes and finds its voice, I am the one who speaks for the Traveler."

"In its dying breath, the Traveler created the Ghosts, to seek out those who can wield it's Light as a weapon – Guardians, to protect us, and do what the Traveler itself no longer can… No doubt the battle you fought in Kazakhstan was part of that great battle, centuries ago- it was then that the Traveler was crippled by the power of the Darkness, its ancient enemy."

Marisa looked towards the Traveler, once powerful- now merely slumbers above. The Speaker continued. "The Darkness is coming back. We will not survive it this time."

Ghost then spoke. "Its armies surround us. The Fallen are just the beginning."

"Just the beginning?" Marisa repeated. "How can I help? I can't just give up."

Under the mask the Speaker smiled. "As a Guardian I didn't expect you to- and with your help and the other Guardians aid- you must push back the Darkness. Across the solar system Guardians are fighting at this very moment. Your Ghost will guide you."

"First we shall get you better gear, most of yours is outdated," Ghost said.

Marisa sighed. "From high end to outdated, not sure how I feel about that."

The Speaker brought his arm forward. "Go forth Guardian Marisa, may your endeavors be successful."

* * *

><p>Guardian Marisa and Ghost left the tower and arrived in the central area of the tower before going back down more stairs to enter the Hall of Guardians. Where Ghost said that the Awoken Commander Zavala, who is the Vanguard of the Titans- the class of power that the Traveler bestowed upon her, was located. She entered a room with a depressed ground where a long table with three people stand above and others around them. Ghost said the two others were also Vanguards, but Exo Cayde-6 was for the Hunters, and Human Ikora Rey for Warlocks.<p>

Cayde-6 and Ikora were talking to other Guardians of their respected classes, but Zavala was standing alone at the end of the table. Marisa walked past the group and confronted Zavala. "Commander Zavala?" Marisa inquired.

Zavala looked from his work and towards Marisa. Zavala was the first Awoken she had seen up close, his face looked Human but everything else was foreign from the pale blue skin, glowing white eyes, and almost transparent markings on their faces that pulsated. The Commander stood taller than Marisa and she found him to be a bit intimidating. "I am- I don't recognize you. Are you perhaps a new Guardian?"

Marisa nodded. "Yes and newly resurrected. The name's Marisa. I'm honored to be a Titan."

"Is that so? I welcome thee to the Titans and it's very clear your armor is outdated. However it should be clear- we're not a charity. We will give you your first piece of armor but you will need to earn the rest," Zavala explained.

"Fair enough," Marisa.

"Which piece of armor would you like first: Chest, Helmet, Legs, or Arms?"

Marisa thought for a moment. "I think I'll take the chest piece."

"Alright, it will be at your room shortly," Zavala said.

Ghost looked at Marisa. "I've already informed the Guardian Room's that another needed to be set up. We should visit it after we get your new gun."

She smiled. "A new gun sounds nice- however Zavala, since you're a Vanguard, is there any tips you wish to give a new Guardian like myself?

"Tips?" Zavala said and he went into his thoughts. "Us Titans, we're the front line soldiers, our armor is more durable than Hunters or Warlocks- use that to your advantage. Use it to defend allies from attacks, and also use it to rush up to enemies and strike them."

"I assume your Ghost has told you about being a Striker or Defender correct?" Zavala said to the confusion of Marisa.

She shook her head. "I have not been told."

"I shall explain then, as you have no doubt noted, the Traveler has given you amazing powers. However it isn't random, you can go down a path. It really depends on how you compose yourself in combat. A Striker is going to be more offensive than a Defender. A Striker can leap into the air and smash into the ground letting out a burst of energy whereas a Defender can create a barrier to which no gun can pierce."

"Striker sounds like it's my thing," Marisa said.

Zavala smiled. "Well then, be fierce in battle. Impose terror into your enemies and you will strike them down with terrible force. I wish you luck Guardian, however is there anything else you need?"

The Guardian shook her head again. "There is nothing. Thank you Commander."

Zavala bowed. "It was no problem Guardian Marisa, now go forth and smite your enemies."

* * *

><p>"New Guardian? That old junk won't do you justice," said the Exo Banshee-44, the Tower Gunsmith. "Now you want something good and want to keep it in the Auto Rifle family since you said that was your preference. I can recommend the MARSHAL-A, it's a good starter rifle for all new Guardians."<p>

Marisa looked across the counter at each of the guns. "I think that sounds good," she said.

"Alright then, take it- first one is on the house. Like whatever the Vanguard probably told you applies here. Work and you get better stuff," Banshee-44 said.

She nodded as she grabbed the Rifle and gave the old rifle to Banshee-44. "I expected as much."

Marisa and Ghost walked away from the Gunsmith and stopped near the large tree with red leaves right nearby. "Anything else we need to do?" Marisa said to Ghost.

"Yes, we must check with the Shipwright, they have no doubt received your ship," Ghost informed her.

Ghost and Marisa headed to the Shipwright and got a negative report, the ship was in shambles and they would need to get the NLS Drive back from the Fallen who had ripped it from the ship. Otherwise the ship was grounded to Earth, not even a trip to the Moon could be made. Their objective was clear, return to Old Russia and return to where the ship had been being held and see if the Fallen who had it still lurked.

However they wouldn't do that just yet, instead going back to the Central of the tower, they entered a door on the North wall near the entrance to Tower North. They proceeded to go down stairs until they reached what appeared to be a lobby. "Welcome to the Guardian's Home or the Quarters for short," Ghost said. "Your room is on the 23rd Floor. Though since we're on the top floor already, that means we go down."

Together they entered an elevator and clicked on a touch panel. The elevator closed and the elevator began to smoothly go down. As they went down, behind Marisa the outside wall vanished and she looked out the elevators glass wall. The city below got clearer the lower they went, she even began to be able to pick out different districts in the city, their lighting giving a clue to what each district style was.

They got off on floor 23 and walked down a bit, her room was the last on the left. As they got closer she began to hear banging and a voice yelling. "Samara, wake up you dolt!" a male spoke. From the armor of the individual she could tell they were a Hunter. Their red cloak hangs long, their brownish armor didn't look much better than her own. A sniper rifle could be seen on their back and a Hand Cannon on the waist. Their hair was black and their skin light, his eyes dark and a scar ran down the side of his face. A Human like herself.

He put his hands on his face. "You told me to be up early, the best thing you could do was be up as well!"

Marisa walked by, but not unnoticed when the man turned and looked towards her as she got to her door. "The New Guardian, right?"

"How did you know?" Marisa asked.

"Just got informed like- ten minutes ago. Seems the final door on our hall will finally be filled," he said as he stretched out his hand. "Names Ryar Kotwell."

She grabbed his hand and shook it. "Marisa, nice to meet you."

"Pleasure is all mine, I'm actually fairly new- only a few months."

"And Samara?" Marisa asked.

Ryar looked at Samara's door. "Samara's a bit of a pro. Been at this for a couple of years. Unlike myself she's one of those Pre-collapse Guardians. Sadly I'm not such a person from a heroic age."

"Seems I and Samara have something in common," Marisa said as the door to Marisa's room finally slid opened.

A woman with short black hair, pale light skin, dark marks around her brown eyes, and lips colored black, stepped in its entrance. Her armor was even lighter than the Hunters, with an almost robe-like attire, hardly any padding could be seen. Like her hair and lips, it was too colored black but with white outlines. Another Human. "Can't a girl get her beauty sleep?"

Ryar frowned. "It's 9:30, Samara, you told me to be here at 8:30, I've been trying to communicate to your Ghost, and been banging on your door. You're late."

Samara moved her hands through her hair. "Lilly, can you tell me if he tried to call me."

Suddenly from out of Samara, with purple particles, a Ghost came out but this was colored pink, a sharp contrast to her owners black colored attire. It began to speak but with a feminine voice. "I did receive numerous calls from Guardian Ryar, however you told me to not wake you up unless it was someone else."

"Someone else? What are you teaching your Ghost?" Ryar said flustered.

Samara smirked and looked at her Ghost. "Everything a good Ghost needs to know."

It was then that Samara noticed Marisa who was still standing there despite being ignored. "And who is this?"

Marisa reached out her hand. "I'm the new Guardian, the name's Marisa."

Samara did not shake hands. "Flattering, I'm Samara and you no doubt know who this idiot is."

Ryar shook his head dismissively and spoke in a lower tone. "Being called an idiot by the person who couldn't even make it on time to the meet up- that SHE planned."

"Oh hush you," Samara said as she exited the frame of her door and stood next to Ryar. Her Ghost once again enter the armor of the Warlock. "A Titan I see. We could use one."

Samara tried to not pay attention to Ryar who was make an x-cross with his arms behind her to Marisa. "I think I will have to decline for now, think I'm going to go to my room and get some food."

"Alright then," Samara said as she looked towards Ryar who was standing still now and trying to act oblivious. "We shall be off. Nice meeting you Marisa."

"You both as well, see you," Marisa said as the Hunter and Warlock walked away both waving her bye.

Ghost who had been silent decided to finally break his silence. "Lilly, as you can see is another Ghost. While we are all from the Traveler, we're not all the same. However the pink color on herself, that was not from the Traveler."

"I didn't get to see Ryar's Ghost, I wonder what his is like," Marisa questioned.

"His Ghost was most likely inside his armor and didn't see any reason to leave," Ghost replied logically.

She shrugged and then stood at the door of her room which detecting her presence, slid opened and she stepped in. The lights were off and Marisa couldn't see. Touching a panel on the wall, the lights turned on revealing the room. A furnished living room with couches, chairs, and a coffee table. The windows blinds across were closed. She entered the living room and spotted a kitchen in the corner of the room near another door.

As she walked past the kitchen she put her hand on the counter and there was no dust. Marisa went through the door revealing the bedroom, a modest size bed and a large wooden wardrobe on the wall near the blinded windows. Lastly she opened another door which revealed a clear white bathroom with a shower and everything. "This is a lot more lavish then I expected," she admitted.

"Guardians go out into wastes and beyond, putting themselves in danger on a daily basis," Ghost began to explain. "The Speaker thought it was only fitting that they at least feel comfortable when they're here. One of the few safe places left."

Into the bed room, Marisa went towards the wardrobe and opened it revealing basic clothing, shirts, pants, and shorts. Then opening one of the wardrobes drawers revealed female undergarments. "I had already informed them of your measurements and they got the right clothing."

Marisa blushed as she picked up an undergarment. "Well that isn't creepy- at all," she said sarcastically.

"It shouldn't be- I scanned you while I was in your-,"Ghost said but was cut off when Marisa stood up and spoke.

"I'm going to go to bed now," she said and looked at the Ghost. "If you don't mind."

Ghost continued to float not sure why he got the reaction from the Human. "If that is what you wish, you can put your armor in the armory vault in the wall- that is where most of your equipment will be stored."

Marisa walked towards a panel on the wall across from the wardrobe and touched it. A hissing noise was made and two metal plates on the wall moved away revealing an armory with many compartments. Her armor from the Vanguard was sitting in place already. As she began to take off her armor, she looked towards the Ghost.

"Can I get some privacy?"

Ghost looked at her as blankly as the machine could. "I don't understand, you're only getting undressed."

She sighed. "Some people don't like others to see that- AI's included."

Despite the less than satisfactory answer, the Ghost didn't complain. "Alright, I shall retire to the Living Quarters where I will be if you need me."

Marisa just nodded in thanks as the Ghost flew off and left the Guardian alone. This being the first time alone since she was resurrected. Taking off all of her armor left her in just her undergarments and after placing her equipment neatly into the vault she closed it and walked back towards the wardrobe. Putting on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, the Guardian collapsed onto the bed.

Once in the bowels of the covers, the Guardian fell asleep.

* * *

><p>In a sea of fire, trees tumble and fall as explosions erupt and weapons fire. "Push them back!" a voice commanded. Humans, Awoken, and Exo continued to fight off the Darkness and it fought back with vicious force. "Keep at it!"<p>

The skies of Venus were painted orange and black from the flames and smoke. Jungles burned as the Darkness continued its onslaught. "Move it- move it!" a Human female called out.

Another Human, a female, fell to their knees. "Marisa… I can't make it."

Marisa walked over to the man. "Up and at it Soldier, I'm not leaving you here."

The female tried to crack a smile as if trying to face death with it. "I'm not cut out for this…"

Marisa grabbed the woman and lifted her up. "You listen to me- you're my comrade, my friend, there is no way in hell I'm leaving you to die to the Darkness."

"You always were like that- telling others to keep going when they have given up hope," the female said.

Suddenly the person's body began to break into dust, and the forest of fire was replaced by a darkness and ash from the sky as it fell onto the burnt forest like snow. Marisa body was covered in it as she sat on her knees in silence, the corpses of soldiers littering the ground around her.

"She wasn't the first you failed," a feminine voice spoke and Marisa looked up to see the woman in red. "And she wouldn't be the last."

* * *

><p>Marisa lurched forward from her sleep in a cold sweet, her breathing heavy. She grabbed onto her sweat covered shirt as if gasping for breath. The Guardian looked around the dark room with glazed over eyes. Before she knew it, she felt the cold touch of tears running down her cheeks. "No… It wouldn't be the last," she said in a hush voice, as she sat in silence.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Welcome Samara and Ryar, these two characters are to be the secondary main characters, so they will be explored. However they're not the only characters that will be introduced! Another group with an Exo leader and two Awoken will be introduced- so look forward to them as well! <strong>

**Please review, ask questions, post feed back, or just comment! :)**

**Next chapter - **Marisa teams up with **Ryar and Samara to get back the NSL Drive for her ship and more.**


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